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Scale (ratio) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Scale (ratio) facts for kids
Map of Brazil with two scales
The scale of a map shows the ratio between the distances on the map and the corresponding distances in reality. For example, a map of scale 1:50,000 shows a distance of 50,000 cm (or 500 m) as 1 cm on a map. A 1:25 scale model of a building with a height of 30 m has a model height of 1.20 m.
When a drawing or model or photograph of an object is larger or smaller than the original, the scale represents how much the object has been "grown" or "shrunk".
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Scale bars
Scale bars for microscopic or unusual objects are necessary. They help readers to understand the diagram.
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Images for kids
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Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man illustrates the ratios of the dimensions of the human body; a human figure is often used to illustrate the scale of architectural or engineering drawings.